YAML::Syck isn't only faster than the original YAML module (because it's mostly C), it's currently also more complete.

I haven't had any problems installing it on any Linux system. The same cannot be said about the original YAML module. A PPM package of the current CPAN version is availlable from ActiveState, so even Windows users can start using it right now.

It lacks on the documentation side, but documentation is something Audrey's modules have sometimes been shipped without in the past. The YAML format is reasonably documented elsewhere and the interface is simple enough, so this only removes one star overall.

Great work, Audrey and why the lucky stiff (who wrote libsyck).

(On a side note: For those who don't want any C/XS or who want something more simplistic, check out Adam Kennedy's effort to write YAML::Tiny. Also, there's YAML::Lite which I haven't tried yet.)